


High Tide

by RoeDusk



Category: Naruto
Genre: Betrayal, Gen, Loyalty, Shinobi Philosophy, Zabuza as Akagane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24392623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoeDusk/pseuds/RoeDusk
Summary: Jinpachi of the Seven Swordsmen summons Mangetsu with an unknown ultimatum the day of both their deaths.  Early the next morning Zabuza stages his unsuccessful coup, spending the next five years on the run.Mangetsu doesn't remember much of those 5 years.
Relationships: Haku & Momochi Zabuza, Hoozuki Mangetsu & Hoozuki Suigetsu, Hoozuki Mangetsu & Momochi Zabuza
Comments: 6
Kudos: 12





	High Tide

**Author's Note:**

> This is what happens when I try to brainstorm fic continuations. All the side ideas come out of the woodwork.
> 
> Inspired by Chapter 8/Episode 10 of Natsume's Book of Friends, about Asagi and Akagane.  
> (If you haven't heard of Natsume's Book of Friends I highly recommend it. Everyone deserves to know they're not alone.)

All he knows is lightning. Sparks tearing into the space between his molecules and trying to tear him apart, interrupting any attempt at thought. It’s all he can do to keep some semblance of solidity and only then because it’s instinct. It’s all he can feel, all he can remember. Burning for seconds beyond counting.

Then - abruptly - it stops, and he can finally collapse on himself, his internal current stabilizing for the first time in what feels like years.

Beyond his battered senses there’s someone cursing, but he can’t pull himself together to register more than the motion of something large and the resulting disturbance of air.

A hand lands on his shoulder, and there’s a pulse of some vaguely familiar chakra. A code he can’t remember, but one he’s memorized deeply enough it’s pounding in his core. He liquifies in response to the prodding, and follows that familiar pulse to safety. Curling into a soft, dark chamber before finally passing out.

* * *

Time passes, the length of which escapes his notice entirely. He’s exhausted, floating from one moment to the next as his molecules struggle even to stick together. When it rains the external water threatens to pull him apart entirely but the casing blocking him from the rest of the world prevents both evaporation and death by dilution. And so he survives, lingering on the edge of consciousness and scattering at even the gentlest movements. Words and occasional thoughts wander through his battered mind on the calmest days before slipping away again.

Every now and then there’s a shock of chakra flowing through his body. Indistinct ones from nearby battles, or sickeningly close pulses of healing that linger in his currents long after they stop. Healing is unfamiliar in this form, and the chakra being used is equally unknown. No one he’s ever been healed by before, and yet they are not complete strangers. The most common is a steady yet inexperienced source, growing in strength by the day. They try to will his molecules back together at the same time, and help pull his mind ever closer to consciousness. The other is a deeper power, but hesitant in healing. Preferring to saturate him with long strands of energy, then leave him to absorb them on his own.

After each session he is more aware than ever before. But trying to place the events leading him here aches and sets him drifting away once more.

(He thinks he knows them, but can’t remember who they could be or who should be healing him instead.)

* * *

After a while it becomes easier to think.

Periods of awareness follow the moon, first at the highest point of high tide, then bleeding into consciousness for the minutes before and after. Words and concepts still slide through his fingers when he tries to catch them, but staying still and patient brings eddies of recollection his way.

His caretakers remain nearby, and he begins to be able to pick out their chakra signatures outside of healing sessions. The sudden addition of healing chakra no longer nauseates him, instead bringing relief and the feeling of being cared for. When those same chakra signatures come to him distantly - caught in the flow of battle - he trusts them to carry him safely through.

There were others he trusted once, closer than any other and sharing a secret language that could reach him even when feral or in hydro-form. Others he wanted to trust but couldn’t, only telling them the most basic of secrets. There had been a conversation about the pulse he would use to tell them to release him from his hiding place so he could return to solid form.

A ripple scatters the memory before he can reach it, and he wonders - half-conscious - if he’s reaching too far too fast? Better to remain safe and silent anyway, hidden away until he recovers.

On high-tides he remembers his name - Mangetsu - and the feeling that he’s forgetting something important. He can’t recall what, however, and minutes later his recollection slips away from him again. 

He’s Mangetsu Hozuki, and he’s still so very tired.

* * *

As he heals he spends more time in that space just a breath away from waking, lethargic and unconsciously pursuing idle thoughts. He’s tired still, perhaps still healing or perhaps from oversleep. And cradled in his now familiar carrier, surrounded by familiar chakra, he sees no need to wake that last breath.

He does wonder, sometimes, how long it’s been. If the thoughts that evade his grasp now will seem as unimportant should he wake to pursue them. Most often he decides to worry about them later, allowing himself to drift inevitably back towards sleep.

On stormy days that stir unpredictable tides his memories skitter away no matter how fast he tries to grab them, and he can’t help but feel he’s been asleep too long even as exhaustion and the confined space drag him under again.

* * *

It’s the biju chakra that finally shocks him into full awareness. Sharp and caustic, flowing through him as a Threat far too close for comfort. There’s a moment of panic amidst the falling tide - struggling against the container he’s trapped in and searching desperately for a way out - before there’s a surge of chakra far closer and something punctures the fabric holding him in.

Teeth tear but don’t damage him so much as the side of the canteen, and Mangetsu is tumbling out of the hole even as he wills himself faster through the breach. He has just enough awareness to start reforming before he hits the wood of the bridge, rather than slipping between the planks and scattering into the river below. Reforming is a struggle and an impulse all at once, out-of-practice as he is. He barely has a second to register Zabuza - of all people - staring wide-eyed down at him before the piercing shriek of lightning hums to life in the mist.

Mangetsu spins to face it, terror and anger urging him onward as he puts Momochi’s familiar chakra signature behind him.

Another familiar signature flares to his side, but he ignores it, arm snapping around to face the attacker, already stealing chakra from his skin for perhaps the fastest water bullet he’s ever shot.

The enemy shinobi’s eye widens impossibly further as the bullet crashes into them and sends them careening off course.

Then there’s a growl from behind him and a dog lunging for his back. Mangetsu throws himself to the side just in time for Kubikiribocho to crash down between them.

The summons dissipates abruptly, its fellows following shortly as their contract scroll thuds to the ground beside Mangetsu, run through with senbon. Zabuza doesn’t even stagger at the change in weight, stepping up in front of Mangetsu and the shinobi standing beside him in one long stride, eyes firmly on their opponent.

“My future is all used up? Wrong again, Kakashi.”

The white haired shinobi rolls to his feet, gingerly holding his left arm below several protruding senbon. Kakashi, Mangetsu recalls faintly, prodigy student of the former 4th Hokage. But there’s a sharingan in his eye, and Mangetsu thinks he would have remembered mention of an illegitimate Uchiha or bloodline theft. No, wait, there was something about his teammate’s death and inheriting an eye…

Zabuza grins at the Kononha-nin’s glare, “Good job, Haku. Now stay out of it. Kakashi’s mine.”

Beside Mangetsu the second shinobi only nods, not putting away their handful of senbon, “Of course, Zabuza.”

“You too,” Zabuza orders, eyes sliding sideways to catch Mangetsu’s gaze. “I’ll answer whatever questions you have once I’ve won.”

It’s a familiar demand, the Swordsmen often claimed fights on the missions they took together. But at the same time… Zabuza blocked an attack meant for him, and stepped between him and the konoha-nin without a second thought.

Mangetsu shrugs with a pointed grin, rolling to his feet. “Don’t take too long or I’ll have to try taking my answers out of his hide instead.”

That earns him a chuckle as Zabuza lunges for the konoha-nin, and Mangetsu hopes he wins quickly. Now that he’s awake again his mind is scrambling to clarify what happened to him. And the fact that his savior was Zabuza is startling. Kisame he might have expected, if only for the chance to fight Jinpachi. And Mai might have sided with him in the face of such blatant bloodline targeting, having two of her own. But the Demon of the Mist? A loner even among the Seven Swordsmen? Why?

There’s unease twisting in his gut as well, and he realizes he can’t see Suigetsu anywhere, hadn’t sensed his presence even once during his convalescence.

How had Zabuza known their family’s code to call him into the canteen? Had he somehow gotten to Mangetsu’s little brother? Or had something else gone wrong?

How long had he been asleep?

\- - -

“Hey! What’s the big idea!” The biju container snarls at them.

Mangetsu can feel the attention flickering between him and Haku, but when he glances away from Zabuza’s battle the jinchuriki’s full attention is on Haku.

“Why’d you spend all that time convincing me to kill you if you weren’t ready to die just yet?!” the blond demands. “What made you jump all the way over there, huh? And who the hell is that other guy?! What the hell is going on!?”

Magetsu tenses minutely but Haku doesn’t seem concerned, in spite of the biju chakra explosion earlier.

“I’m sorry, Naruto. It was wrong of me to stop you when it is I myself who asked you to slay me. But I truly believed Zabuza might have need of me one last time, even blunted as I am, and that if I did not act Zabuza would die.”

“That’s what doesn’t make sense!” The jinchuruki insists loudly. “I get that you wanted to be of use to him when nobody else was willing to give you the time of day, but it doesn’t have to be that way anymore! He barely even gave you a second glance, even when you were willing to die for him. He’s not worth it!”

Mangetsu frowns at that, “I would think a jinchuriki would understand.”

“What did you call me?!”

To his left Zabuza’s opponent twitches at the title, but Zabuza is keeping him well occupied, so Mangetsu lets his attention slide over to the blond boy.

“There’s a monster trapped inside you and the people of your village treat you like an outsider, a threat. And yet here you are, a human sacrifice willingly fighting to defend them. Wouldn’t it just be easier to leave them to their fates? Find someone who appreciates you more?”

“Shut up!” the bond yells, fists clenched so hard they’re shaking. “You don’t know anything about me! Sure, the villagers hate me and say bad things when they think I can’t hear them, but Konoha is my home! Iruka-sensei, the Old Man, my friends, even Sakura and Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei! Everyone important to me lives in the Village, so I’m not about to betray it!”

“Then why are you allowed to tell Haku to betray Zabuza?” Mangetsu asks. “Who or what a shinobi cares about is their choice and no one else’s.”

“Zabuza is precious to me,” Haku speaks up as the blond stares at them. “Your sensei tried to kill him, but I wouldn’t ask you to give up on your sensei because of that. And I won’t stop caring about Zabuza because you ask it of me.”

“That’s… it’s different,” the jinchuriki insists mulishly. “Kakashi-sensei doesn’t treat us like we’re nothing more than tools!”

“In battle he does,” Haku points out. “Ordering your weakest teammate to hang back as a last line of defence while sending you and your teammate to potentially die distracting a superior opponent. He was hoping he could defeat Zabuza fast enough to save you all, but there was never any guarantee any of you would survive.”

The jinchuriki snarls at that. “Don’t you talk about Kakashi-sensei that way! We already beat Zabuza once, he knew we had a chance of defeating you as well! Even if… even if Sasuke didn’t make it, it’s not Kakashi-sensei’s fault!” He dashes the tears from his cheeks then points angrily at Haku. “Besides, you’re the one who killed him! You shouldn’t be trying to make me feel bad about something you don’t regret at all!”

“As a shinobi showing kindness to an enemy is forbidden,” Haku replies simply. “If I had allowed him to live he might have threatened the one precious to me. In order to prevent that I had to kill whatever kindness might lie within me, and strike him down.”

“Just because Zabuza tells you too doesn’t mean you have to kill your emotions or whatever! You’re still human, you can decide right or wrong all on your own!”

“If you think that you’re more of a fool than I thought,” Zabuza interrupts, circling Kakashi warily. “Shinobi are nothing more than tools, directed by the hands that wield them to strike down other people’s foes. Morality? Kindness? Nothing but a fairytale.”

“Shut up! You’re only saying that because that’s what you want Haku to think! That’s not what makes a true shinobi!”

“He’s right, Naruto,” the Konoha-nin cuts in across his student's rant. “As shinobi we’re taught to kill our hearts to do what needs to be done. There’s nothing more dangerous than facing an enemy you can’t bring yourself to harm.”

“But, Kakashi-sensei…!”

“Think about it,” Kakashi continues, gaze not leaving Zabuza. “Haku refused to fight you after you broke his mask. Was willing to stand by and let you kill him to avoid striking you down. What happens if the village is in danger and you hesitate like that. Hundreds of people could die."

“That’s not true! A true shinobi is one who makes things better for those who can’t help themselves! Someone who always stands up for his friends, and fights to make the world a better place!”

Zabuza scoffs, “If that’s what they’re teaching you then it’s no wonder Konoha-nin are all soft headed. Shinobi aren’t saviors, or heroes. We’re the ones the Damiyo and minor lords pay to do their dirty work. Assasination, kidnapping, torture, even just making an example of someone, that’s the sort of missions your so called heroes perform.”

“While it’s true that some shinobi never have to perform those roles, it's the truth for a vast majority of shinobi,” Kakashi speaks up before his student can protest again. “Unless you’re a Genin performing day-to-day tasks needed around the village, or a Chunin specifically tasked with handling paperwork, a shinobi’s main job is to perform the gruesome tasks no one else is cold enough or skilled enough to perform. They don’t teach you how to fight in the Academy so you can go out and befriend your enemies. They teach you so that you can survive if you find yourself in a battle to the death. It’s your job as prospective shinobi to outmatch your opponents and finish the mission you were assigned. That is what we’re paid for.”

“What about the Village?!” Naruto demands. “What about never betraying a fellow Leaf Shinobi, or leaving them behind!? What about Sasuke? You believed we could do it, that’s why you told us to! You didn’t think he was going to die!”

“There’s always the possibility of dying, Naruto,” the white-haired ninja replies quietly. “I knew that when I ordered you and Sasuke to fight. I hoped you had a chance of surviving, that the training you did would give you enough of a boost to see you both through, but I knew one or both of you might die. If you didn’t fight you  _ would _ have died, and at least this way we divided their forces and give Tazuna a better chance of surviving.”

At Naruto’s horrified look Mangetsu rolls his eyes.

“A shinobi’s life is always in danger. Whether from an enemy sneaking into your home and trying to assassinate you or the more expected dangers of a mission gone wrong. That’s why we  _ have  _ villages. Loyalty to your village isn’t about what’s right or wrong, it’s about having a place you can leave your precious people and reasonably expect them to be safe upon your return.”

The jinchuriki turns to frown at him as he continues.

“Think about it this way. Out in the field a shinobi has to deal with both enemies coming across them by chance and any enemies actively hunting them. Upon returning to their village that shinoi is surrounded by potential allies. If an attacker tries to kill them then any passing shinobi should either jump in to aid them or sound the alarm to call for reinforcements. In this case, doesn’t it make more sense for the shinobi to leave their precious people in the village, where they would be surrounded by allies, rather than trying to defend them by themselves?”

“Well, of course! That’s what a village does, isn’t it?”

“However, if the village decides that the shinobi is a threat and orders their removal, now there are hundreds of enemies in the same place. Suddenly the shinobi’s precious people are targets, taken captive to force them into a confrontation or held for leverage against them. In this case the village wouldn’t be worth their loyalty anymore. And it would be safer for them to try and defend their loved ones outside the village, where there’s more space to evade pursuit, than to remain in a village where enemies are so numerous.”

“That’s not how a village works! Turning against a fellow shinobi like that, even with a good reason, their precious people shouldn’t be dragged into it!”

"If you're loyal to the village, and valuable, it should be enough," Mangetsu agrees quietly. "But shinobi are trained to use whatever means necessary to get the upper hand, and sometimes people can't turn that off when facing allies. Sometimes, no matter how much you try, they fear you and insist on treating you like an enemy. Some of the people who become missing-nin run away because of that, and those are the ones who take their followers with them when they leave."

"You're trying to convince me that Zabuza's somehow a nice guy because he brought Haku with him when he left?"

"I'm saying Haku was precious enough for Zabuza to bring with him when he flead, even knowing he'd have to protect him," Mangetsu explains mildly. But, to him, it's more than that. Zabuza carried a useless former ally around for years after apparently rescuing him. Not that the bond boy would get the nuances - or even the basics of the situation - if he tried to explain.

"He is correct, Naruto." Haku speaks up in the silence. "If Zabuza had not taken me with him when he did, I would surely have died. And in the years since I have relied on his skills to ensure our survival far more than he has relied on mine."

The jinchuriki's nose scrunches up, in thought or maybe preparation for an objection, but whatever he was about to say is lost when Zabuza's quiet grunt of pain draws everyone's attention back to the battle.

Kakashi has finally managed to get in a good slice to Zabuza's shoulder, forcing the swordsman to switch to one-handed. Haku tenses beside Mangetsu, who finds his hand inching towards the pouch with the Sword-Summoning scroll. They're both interrupted by a resounding crack across the bridge, accompanied by a low chuckle.

Zabuza's obscuring mist shifts, revealing a small, bespectacaled businessman smirking down the bridge at them, a small army of thugs moving into position behind him. The businessman eyes Zabuza's injury and scoffs.

"Did quite a job on you, didn't they, Zabuza? You look like yesterday's sashimi. I must say I'm… disappointed."

"Gato?" Zabuza growls, startled and suspicious. "What is this? Who are all these thugs you've brought with you?"

Gato chuckles. "Well, there's been a slight change of plans. According to the new plan, you die here on this bridge, Zabuza."

"What?"

"You're too expensive," Gato continues with a shrug. "Especially when you're not providing results. So I've decided to take you off the payroll. As you're looking right now it shouldn't take long for my new friends to take you down. Of course even they cost something, so if you could pull yourself together and slaughter some of them before they overwhelm you I'd appreciate it. Though, really, I'm not expecting much, you look about as demonic as a wet kitten."

The thugs laugh uproariously at that, and Mangetsu wonders idly if they missed the point, and if they've ever actually seen a soaked street cat before. 

Then Gato turns on Haku with a snarl, "As for you, you little  _ punk _ , don't think I've forgotten you grabbed me and nearly broke my arm! I've been meaning to repay you for that! Fortunately I know a man who'll pay handsomely for the chance to use you as a lab rat. You and any of these other brats I get my hands on." He glances back at the thugs. "Kill Zabuza and the other one, but try to keep the brats alive. He'll pay better for living subjects than dead ones."

The jinchuriki shouts some angry denial at that, but Haku doesn't even flinch, just sliding a few more senbon out of his sleeves. Zabuza is the one to openly turn and glare at Gato, his voice low and dangerous.

"Well, well, Kakashi, it would seem our fight is at an end. Since I'm no longer in Gato's employ Tazuna is safe.  _ We _ have no quarrel."

Next to him the konoha-nin nods slowly, his mismatched gaze also focused on Gato, "Yeah, I suppose you're right."

Zabuza nods minutely at that, accepting the ceasefire, then leaverages his blade around to point at Gato, "You'll be dead long before you or any of your lackeys can lay one finger on Haku. And before that, I'm going to make you hand over the name of your client,  _ so I can kill them as well! _ "

The sword summoning scroll slides easily into Mangetsu's hand as Zabuza lunges, Gato scrambling back behind the shield of his men even as he shouts for them to take them all down. Beside him Haku is already leaping into the fray, dodging in and out of Zabuza's shadow as his senbon thin the herd. Not wanting to get in his way, Mangetsu bypasses Nubari and reaches for Hiramekarei. But the twinblade's seal lay dormant. Kiba leaps at his call, an easy second choice, and carries him forward into the battle dancing before them.

Behind them the Konoha shinobi waves off his genin's demand that they join in, settling in to watch instead of assisting in the slaughter. Mangetsu laughs at the boy's insistence that they needed help, catching Zabuza rolling his eyes at the same. It's the work of only a few more moments to rout the thugs, and Haku grabs Gato as the survivors flee back to their boat, dropping the struggling businessman at Zabuza's feet. Then he steps back, nodding to Mangetsu as the other mist shinobi moves up beside him.

"Now, where were we?" Zabuza grins down at his former employer. "Oh, right. You were about to tell me who you planned to sell Haku too."

"You can't kill me," Gato blabbles, struggling to crawl away from the shinobi hemming him in. "If you kill me that information is lost, and you'll never know it!"

"I'm sure we can find someone in your organization willing to talk," Zabuza muses, Kubikiribocho swinging down to press into skin just beneath Gato's chin. "And even if no one will, we can follow the money instead. Don't think so highly of your own importance."

"Crazy bastard! Alright, alright! It was the Damiyo of the Land of Rice Patties, ok? Something about a new Ninja Village he's trying to form. I've done a bit of work for him over the years and we've got a good partnership going. Heard he even has one of the Sannin on his payroll. Not someone you want to get on the bad side of! So how about you let me go and we forget this little skirmish ever happened?"

"How about not?" Zabuza retorts, lunging forward, silencing the businessman forever. Mangetsu allows Kiba to vanish back into the scroll at his hip.

Zabuza turns to Kakashi with a frown, "What are the odds it really is one of the Sannin?"

"Not impossible," Kakashi offers apologetically. "I'm not sure if you've heard, but the Land of Rice Paddies was recently renamed the Land of Sound. The Damiyo petitioned for the right to have their Ninja Village take part in the Chunin exams, and after some consideration the Hokage granted his request."

"And getting the Sannin Orochimaru on his payroll would be a real coup," Zabuza fills in bitterly.

Kakashi tilts his head at that, "You really want to take this guy's word for it?"

Zabuza sheathes his blade with a snort. "I'd rather plan for a Sannin and be pleasantly surprised."

The Konoha-nin's eyebrow inches towards his headband, but he nods his head agreeably. "Well, I hope you find what you're looking for then."

Zabuza ignores him, turning to Haku and Mangetsu and giving them both a once over. Then he nods.

"Back to Gato's safe house. Let's see what we can pick up before his goons start looting everything." Then he hesitates, turning to side-eye Mangetsu, "You going to be able to keep up?"

It's gruff and unfriendly, and Mangetsu has to temper the responding smile into something toothier.

"After all that standing around earlier? I'd better be."

That earns him an eyeroll. Zabuza offers Kakashi a final nod before he leaps away, Haku and Mangetsu following close behind.

Once they're out of earshot Zabuza turns to Mangetsu, "First we need to regroup with Gozu and Meizu, then locate some more supplies. Make sure to grab a few extra canteens. Then we're heading to Sound. If you've got any questions, now would be the time."

Mangetsu nods. There's so much he's missed, so much he doesn't understand. But as for what's important, and what he might actually get a straight answer too…

"Suigetsu?"

Zabuza's jaw tenses, "I couldn't find him. Learned they had him grabbed about the same time they grabbed you. I traced him as far as Gato, but…"

The deal with the Sound Damiyo, Mangetsu realizes. Not about Haku, not entirely, but the next step on the trail of his brother's disappearance…

"How long?" He asks, hands clenching in spite of how obvious a tell it is. But he doesn't care, can't because Suigetsu's  _ missing _ . Sold to a madman, and…

Zabuza gives him a sideways glance. "Five years."

Five years. Not just without him there to look out for his little brother, watch his back, but five years since Suigetsu was  _ taken _ .

"Why are you helping me?" Mangetsu asks, uncertain if he'll get an answer but desperate to know. "In all likelihood there's a Sannin between us and Suigetsu. Why aren't you wishing me luck and heading the other direction?"

Zabuza studies him for a long moment, judging and bitter all at once, then he huffs. "Kiri sold you out. Planned to kill you and literally sold your younger brother. It's a pile of bloody corpses. I intend to return and pull it out of the mire with my own hands. I  _ will _ become the Mizukage, but a coup will take time to plan. And powerful soldiers at my side. I rescue your brother and you'll owe me a favor."

An understatement. Mangetsu's pretty sure he owes Zabuza more than a few favors already for carrying him around for five years. If he helps save Suigetsu it's edging uncomfortably close to life-debt territory. But as long as his brother isn't at risk of falling beneath the other man's blade Mangetsu thinks he might be ok with that.

He doesn't say that, though. Instead he bares his teeth in a taunting grin, "My brother's worth a lot more than some old hat, you know."

Zabuza smirks back at him, crinkling his bandages. "Fine, I'll find you an advisor position. Make sure you stay alive until then."

"Try and keep up," Mangetsu shoots back. And maybe he shouldn't be making such far reaching decisions without all the facts, on his first day back in the land of the living, but he feels hopeful. At least right now, staring at his fellow swordsman's back with Haku running alongside them, he feels like they can win.

**Author's Note:**

> I know I don't go into Team Seven's reactions to what happens, but assume Sasuke is still alive the same way he was in canon. Nothing Haku did would have changed.  
> And... no idea how they're going to take on Orochimaru and live but I suppose they have at least a slim chance at success?
> 
> This is a very different Zabuza than I usually use in my story ideas. It was interesting to write one who's less stilted in his concerns, just not about to show them to his enemies in battle. I enjoyed the brainstorming.
> 
> And I'm pretty sure the idea of Jinpachi being the villain comes from blackkat's fic [Sunlight on the Sea Floor](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13459512), so throwing that credit in here.


End file.
